Golf club manufacturers have designed golf club heads with aerodynamic features to improve the flow of air over and around the golf club head. When air flows around a golf club head during a swing of a golf club, a wake, or an area of disturbed air flow, is formed behind the golf club head. In many cases, the wake creates a drag force on the golf club head, thereby slowing the speed of the golf club head throughout the swing. Thus, some golf club heads can be designed to lessen the disturbed air flow during the swing. In many cases, driver golf club heads are designed to maximize the moment of inertia (MOI) of the club head and maintain low and back center of gravity (CG) positions. Increased MOI can result in increased forgiveness for off center impact of a golf ball. Increased MOI can be achieved by maximizing the volume of the club head, and distributing the mass about the perimeter of the club head. Large volume club heads typically result in large club faces. The face of a golf club head is generally the biggest contributor to the drag forces on the club head during a swing. Large club head faces can result in higher drag forces, decreased swing speeds, and shorter ball distance. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a golf club head having a smaller face to reduce aerodynamic drag, while maintaining a high MOI and a low and back CG position.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the golf clubs and their methods of manufacture. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the golf clubs and their methods of manufacture. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “contain,” “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “under,” “over,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in a physical, mechanical, or other manner.